By Sohn JiAe

May 15, 2017 | Cheong Wa Dae

“Clean air for children to breathe.”

President Moon Jae-in has come forward to solve issues related to "fine dust," such as particulate matter and related forms of air pollution. 

“Air pollution measuring instruments will be set up at 11,000 elementary, middle and high schools across the nation,” President Moon vowed during a visit to Eunjung Elementary School in Yangcheon-gu District, Seoul, on May 15. 

“It costs about KRW 6 million for each device, and will require KRW 60 billion to put such devices in place at 11,000 schools. The government will earmark funds to install the equipment at all schools, if necessary,” the president stressed. 

“Air pollution detectors are installed to measure contamination in each designated area, which covers about 20 schools. If each area covers 10 schools, down from 20 schools, the range of detection will increase, better monitoring the concentration of particulate matter,” said the president. 

“High levels of particulate matter make it difficult to conduct physical education lessons outside. So if a school doesn’t have a monitoring facility, I will at least pledge to build a makeshift gymnasium. At schools with temporary gyms, I will pledge to have built permanent ones, so that students can exercise indoors,” the president said. He then promised to install air filters in each classroom and gymnasium. 

Senior presidential secretary for social affairs Kim Su-hyun answers questions regarding President Moon Jae-in’s order to shut down eight aged coal-fired power plants across the nation, in a press briefing at the Chunchugwan press center at Cheong Wa Dae. (Jeon Han)

President Moon also ordered the shutdown of coal-fired power plants that are over 30 years old as an emergency measure to mitigate air pollution. 

He ordered that operations at eight of the 10 aged coal power plants cease temporarily next month for one month. The temporary shutdown will then be expanded on a regular basis for four months, from March to June 2018. 

The president vowed to have all 10 of the old coal power plants closed within his five-year term, by May 2022, and to make efforts to move up the closing date of each one. 

“The one-month shutdown of the eight plants may help reduce the output of fine particulate matter by up to one to two percent,” said senior presidential secretary for social affairs Kim Su-hyun. “Some might say that it would be absurd to suspend the plants to get such a marginal effect. However, we know how the problem of particulate matter impacts our lives and, in that sense, the government has decided to come forward to deal with the problem as soon as possible,” the secretary said. “I believe that the one to two percent is no small effect,” he said.

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